There are many tasks that network server administrators are required to handle. One task related to server management is ensuring that content, configuration data (e.g., settings) and other data stay synchronized between machines. Administrators also need to be able to take backups or snapshots of content and configuration data.
Web developers also face similar challenges in trying to deploy web applications to servers, including when they need to push content files, configuration data (e.g., IIS configuration data), assemblies, databases and other types of data to a server. At present, developers need to either copy the files manually, build an installer or write a custom process. Web developers also need to back up applications, and sometimes have to create a custom package that contains an application with its associated files, configuration data and other data.